280 research outputs found

    MEDication reminder APPs to improve medication adherence in Coronary Heart Disease (MedApp-CHD) Study: a randomised controlled trial protocol.

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    INTRODUCTION: The growing number of smartphone health applications available in the app stores makes these apps a promising tool to help reduce the global problem of non-adherence to long-term medications. However, to date, there is limited evidence that available medication reminder apps are effective. This study aims to determine the impact of medication reminder apps on adherence to cardiovascular medication when compared with usual care for people with coronary heart disease (CHD) and to determine whether an advanced app compared with a basic app is associated with higher adherence. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Randomised controlled trial with follow-up at 3 months to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of medication reminder apps on medication adherence compared with usual care. An estimated sample size of 156 patients with CHD will be randomised to one of three groups (usual care group, basic medication reminder app group and advanced medication reminder app group). The usual care group will receive standard care for CHD with no access to a medication reminder app. The basic medication reminder app group will have access to a medication reminder app with a basic feature of providing simple daily reminders with no interactivity. The advanced medication reminder app group will have access to a medication reminder app with additional interactive and customisable features. The primary outcome is medication adherence measured by the eight-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale at 3 months. Secondary outcomes include clinical measurements of blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and medication knowledge. A process evaluation will also be performed to assess the feasibility of the intervention by evaluating the acceptability, utility and engagement with the apps. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval has been obtained from the Western Sydney Local Health Network Human Research Ethics Committee (AU/RED/HREC/1/WMEAD/3). Study findings will be disseminated via usual scientific forums. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ACTRN12616000661471; Pre-results

    Design and rationale of the tobacco, exercise and diet messages (TEXT ME) trial of a text message-based intervention for ongoing prevention of cardiovascular disease in people with coronary disease: a randomised controlled trial protocol

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    Abstract Background Although supporting lifestyle change is an effective way of preventing further events in people with cardiovascular disease, providing access to such interventions is a major challenge. This study aims to investigate whether simple reminders about behaviour change sent via mobile phone text message decrease cardiovascular risk. Methods and analysis Randomised controlled trial with 6 months of follow-up to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and effect on cardiovascular risk of repeated lifestyle reminders sent via mobile phone text messages compared to usual care. A total of 720 patients with coronary artery disease will be randomised to either standard care or the TEXT ME intervention. The intervention group will receive multiple weekly text messages that provide information, motivation, support to quit smoking (if relevant) and recommendations for healthy diets and exercise. The primary end point is a change in plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol at 6 months. Secondary end points include a change in systolic blood pressure, smoking status, quality of life, medication adherence, waist circumference, physical activity levels, nutritional status and mood at 6 months. Process outcomes related to acceptability and feasibility of TEXT ME will also be collected. Ethics and dissemination Primary ethics approval was received from Western Sydney Local Health Network Human Research Ethics Committee—Westmead. Results will be disseminated via the usual scientific forums including peer-reviewed publications and presentations at international conferences. Clinical trials registration number ACTRN12611000161921

    Comparison of two different radiofrequency ablation systems for renal artery denervation: Evaluation of short-term and long-term follow up

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    Objectives: To assess the clinical efficacy of renal artery denervation (RAD) in our center and to compare the efficacy of two different radiofrequency (RF) systems. Background: Several systems are available for RF renal denervation. Whether there is a difference in clinical efficacy among various systems remains unknown. Methods: Renal artery denervation was performed on 43 patients with resistant hypertension using either the single electrode Symplicity Flex (n = 20) or the multi-electrode EnligHTN system (n = 23). Median post-procedural follow-up was 32.93 months. The primary outcome was post-procedural change in office blood pressure (BP) within 1 year (short-term follow-up). Secondary outcomes were change in office BP between 1 and 4 years (long-term follow-up) and the difference in office BP reduction between the two systems at each follow-up period. Results: For the total cohort, mean baseline office BP (systolic/diastolic) was 174/94 mmHg. At follow-up, mean changes in office BP from baseline were −19.70/−11.86 mmHg (P < 0.001) and −21.90/−13.94 mmHg (P < 0.001) for short-term and long-term follow-up, respectively. The differences in office BP reduction between Symplicity and EnligHTN groups were 8.96/1.23 mmHg (P = 0.42 for systolic BP, P = 0.83 for diastolic BP) and 9.56/7.68 mmHg (P = 0.14 for systolic BP, P = 0.07 for diastolic BP) for short-term and long-term follow-up, respectively. Conclusions: In our cohort, there was a clinically significant office BP reduction after RAD, which persisted up to 4 years. No significant difference in office BP reduction between the two systems was found

    TEXT messages to improve MEDication adherence and Secondary prevention (TEXTMEDS) after acute coronary syndrome: A randomised clinical trial protocol

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    Background: Identifying simple, low-cost and scalable means of supporting lifestyle change and medication adherence for patients following a cardiovascular (CV) event is important. Objective: The TEXTMEDS (TEXT messages to improve MEDication adherence and Secondary prevention) study aims to investigate whether a cardiac education and support programme sent via mobile phone text message improves medication adherence and risk factor levels in patients following an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Study design: A single-blind, multicentre, randomised clinical trial of 1400 patients after an ACS with 12 months follow-up. The intervention group will receive multiple weekly text messages that provide information, motivation, support to adhere to medications, quit smoking (if relevant) and recommendations for healthy diet and exercise. The primary endpoint is the percentage of patients who are adherent to cardioprotective medications and the key secondary outcomes are mean systolic blood pressure (BP) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Secondary outcomes will also include total cholesterol, mean diastolic BP, the percentage of participants who are adherent to each cardioprotective medication class, the percentage of participants who achieve target levels of CV risk factors, major vascular events, hospital readmissions and all-cause mortality. The study will be augmented by formal economic and process evaluations to assess acceptability, utility and cost-effectiveness. Summary: The study will provide multicentre randomised trial evidence of the effects of a text message-based programme on cardioprotective medication adherence and levels of CV risk factors. Ethics and dissemination: Primary ethics approval was received from Western Sydney Local Health District Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC2012/12/4.1 (3648) AU RED HREC/13/WMEAD/15). Results will be disseminated via peer-reviewed publications and presentations at international conferences. Trial registration number ACTRN12613000793718; Pre-results

    Identification of a better Homo sapiens Class II HDAC inhibitor through binding energy calculations and descriptor analysis

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    Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are the most common on sexually transmitted viruses in the world. HPVs are responsible for a large spectrum of deseases, both benign and malignant. The certain types of HPV are involved in the development of cervical cancer. In attemps to find additional drugs in the treatment of cervical cancer, inhibitors of the histone deacetylases (HDAC) have received much attention due to their low cytotoxic profiles and the E6/E7 oncogene function of human papilomavirus can be completely by passed by HDAC inhibition. The histone deacetylase inhibitors can induce growth arrest, differentiation and apoptosis of cancer cells. HDAC class I and class II are considered the main targets for cancer. Therefore, the six HDACs class II was modeled and about two inhibitors (SAHA and TSA) were docked using AutoDock4.2, to each of the inhibitor in order to identify the pharmacological properties. Based on the results of docking, SAHA and TSA were able to bind with zinc ion in HDACs models as a drug target. SAHA was satisfied almost all the properties i.e., binding affinity, the Drug-Likeness value and Drug Score with 70% oral bioavailability and the carbonyl group of these compound fits well into the active site of the target where the zinc is present. Hence, SAHA could be developed as potential inhibitors of class II HDACs and valuable cervical cancer drug candidate

    Electrical-thermal analytical modeling of monopolar RF thermal ablation of biological tissues: determining the circumstances under which tissue temperature reaches a steady state

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    This is a pre-copy-editing, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in MATHEMATICAL BIOSCIENCES doi:10.3934/mbe.2015003 AND ENGINEERING following peer review. The definitive publisher-authenticated version Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering (MBE) Pages: 281 - 301, Volume 13, Issue 2, April 2016 is available online at http://www.aimsciences.org/journals/displayArticlesnew.jsp?paperID=11998[EN] It has been suggested that during RF thermal ablation of biological tissue the thermal lesion could reach an equilibrium size after 1-2 minutes. Our objective was to determine under which circumstances of electrode geometry (needle-like vs. ball-tip), electrode type (dry vs. cooled) and blood perfusion the temperature will reach a steady state at any point in the tissue. We solved the bioheat equation analytically both in cylindrical and spherical coordinates and the resultant limit temperatures were compared. Our results demonstrate mathematically that tissue temperature reaches a steady value in all cases except for cylindrical coordinates without the blood perfusion term, both for dry and cooled electrodes, where temperature increases infinitely. This result is only true when the boundary condition far from the active electrode is considered to be at infinitum. In contrast, when a finite and sufficiently large domain is considered, temperature reaches always a steady state.This work received financial support from the Spanish "Plan Estatal de Investigacion, Desarrollo e Innovacion Orientada a los Retos de la Sociedad" under Grant TEC2014-52383-C3-R (TEC2014-52383-C3-1-R).López Molina, JA.; Rivera Ortun, MJ.; Berjano, E. (2016). Electrical-thermal analytical modeling of monopolar RF thermal ablation of biological tissues: determining the circumstances under which tissue temperature reaches a steady state. Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering. 13(2):281-301. https://doi.org/10.3934/mbe.2015003S28130113
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